When Qi Surong helped Qi's mother to Subao's room, Subao had already woken up. He had been infected with cold recently, his face was flushed, he was sweating all over, and he looked very uncomfortable.
Qi's mother hugged him distressedly and took out a handkerchief to wipe his sweat.
Today, Subao is only eleven years old and looks pretty and cute. He was very talented, but his life was missed by his own sister.
Sorry, Subao. This belated apology can only be hidden in my heart for the time being. This time, my sister will not make the same mistake again.
Qi Surong closed her eyes, took a deep breath, turned to the nanny next to her and said, "Nanny, go and pack your luggage. We are leaving Qi Mansion soon."
"Leave Qi Mansion?" The nanny looked surprised.
"There is no time to explain now, just do as I say." After some instructions, Qi Surong took the key to the warehouse from Qi's mother and called the steward over.
"Manager Liu, go and call all the servants in the mansion to the counting room."
"Miss, what are you doing?" When the steward saw her opening the warehouse, he couldn't help but look puzzled.
Qi Surong replied: "Manager Liu, you have also seen that the Qi Mansion has been surrounded by officers and soldiers, and my father has not returned yet. Now it seems that the situation is more likely to be bad than good. We must prepare for the worst."
Manager Liu worriedly asked: "Is the matter already so serious?"
"Regardless of whether it is true or not, it is always right to arrange the escape route in advance."
"That's what the lady said." Manager Liu's tone was very hesitant. This seems to make sense, but the person who said it is the eldest lady of the Qi family, which is really unconvincing. However, he had no right to object and had no choice but to obey orders.
After Manager Liu left, Qi Surong counted the silver in the treasury and found that there were more than one million taels of silver and more than three thousand taels of gold. These were the wealth accumulated by the ancestors of the Qi family. But the wealth of the Qi family does not lie in this, but in the collection of calligraphy, paintings, antiques, jade, porcelain and other items in the warehouse. If we want to estimate it, it is worth at least more than seven million taels. The collection is as rich as the national treasury.
The reason why the Qi family was investigated was not only because Qi's father had offended the villain, but this wealth was probably also the source of trouble.
Qi Surong sighed. The Qi family's hundreds of years of foundation were wiped out overnight. How could it not be disappointing
Forget it, it's useless to think too much. As long as the family is safe, everything can start again.
The servants quickly gathered in the accounting room. Qi Surong casually said a few words, then compared the deeds of sale and counted the settlements one by one. The money she gave was just a little more, and the money had to be spent. Even if the Qi family falls, there must be a beginning and an end, and a clean ending.
In the last life, because the accident happened so suddenly, everyone was in a hurry, and many things were not dealt with in time, leaving hidden dangers and constant disputes. Some people who are resentful spread rumors and slander them everywhere. The Qi family's reputation in the capital was in disgrace and they were unable to move forward.
Qi Surong quickly settled the debts of his servants, returned the deeds of betrayal, and asked them to find another way out after leaving Qi Mansion. In the end, she only left Manager Liu, the nanny and five maids. The loyalty of these people has been tested for a lifetime, how could Qi Surong not trust them
After dismissing her servants, Qi Surong took the list of collections in the warehouse into her arms. She would write down every item of treasure that the Qi family had discarded.
She returned to Subao's room. The nanny had already packed all the clothes, including five large bundles and two boxes.
Qi Surong looked through it casually, threw the two largest bundles on the ground, and said to the wet nurse, "Just take these three bundles with you, and don't need the box."
The nanny was surprised: "The box contains not only the young master's stationery, but also the madam's gold and silver jewelry. They are all valuable items. How can I not want them?"
She wants it too! The problem is that these things cannot be taken out at all. Qi Surong sighed secretly without explaining.
At this moment, there was a burst of chaotic footsteps outside, and occasionally a man's shout.
coming! Qi Surong's pupils shrank and she clenched her fists.
More than a hundred officers and soldiers poured into Qi's mansion. One of them held up the imperial edict and shouted: "Heaven's destiny, the emperor's edict said: General Weiguo embezzled military pay and accepted bribes. The evidence is conclusive and his crime is unforgivable. Hereby, his title will be reduced and he will be demoted to The common people, and the mansions and property confiscated, shall be implemented immediately, without any mistakes, I admire this."
Qi's mother fell to the ground softly, her face full of fear. Although my daughter had made the assertion before, now that she heard it with her own ears, it still felt a bit unreal.
A military general stepped forward and said sympathetically: "Mrs. Qi, I'm so rude. The Qi family has suffered such a disaster, but the general can't help at all."
Qi's mother asked sadly: "General Luo, is there any misunderstanding about this matter? How could my husband embezzle military pay and accept bribes?"
"The emperor personally supervised this matter, and the general did not know the details." Luo Shimin looked helpless.
"Then, where is my husband now?"
"General Qi has been taken into custody by the Emperor."
Mother Qi covered her mouth and sobbed: "Why is this happening? Why is this happening?"
Several concubines were also at a loss.
"General Luo, please save my husband. I kneel down for you." Qi's mother broke away from Qi Surong's hand and leaned down to kowtow to Luo Shimin.
"Mother!" Qi Surong immediately stepped forward to stop her. After rebirth, she was no longer the arrogant and vain young lady from the Qi family. But she still couldn't tolerate her mother kneeling to this man. The Qi family was under investigation, and he was indispensable for secretly fueling the flames. He would not leave any face to the Qi family.
Luo Shimin raised his chin slightly, looked at the mother and daughter in front of him with contempt, and said leisurely: "Mrs. Qi, you are really trying to defeat the general. How can the general bear such a great gift from you?"
Qi Surong ignored him as if he was nothing, and leaned down to whisper in her mother's ear: "Mom, even if your family is in ruins, you can't bend to others easily. Like you, I believe that dad is innocent, so we must be honest. We must go out and we cannot let outsiders look down upon our Qi family."
Qi's mother knelt on the ground a little helplessly.
Qi Surong said again: "Mom, believe me, dad will be fine."
Qi's mother looked at her daughter, hesitated for a moment, and finally stood up while holding her hand.
"Mrs. Qi, the general is planning to kill himself. We can't delay any longer. Please leave with your family immediately." General Luo said with a slightly impatient voice.
Qi Surong said: "Mom, let's go."
"Let's go? This is our home? Where can we go after leaving Qi Mansion?" Qi's mother looked sad.
"The world is so big, where can't it fit in?" Qi Surong showed a slight smile on his face, his eyes as clear as water.
Is this... really her daughter? Qi's mother was a little stunned. From the incident to now, she has always been very calm, clear in handling matters, and quite a bit unfazed. Logically speaking, when the Qi family was sealed off, she should be the one who was hit the hardest. With her pride, how could she bear the ridicule and insults of others
At this time, Luo Shimin issued action instructions to the surrounding soldiers. The soldiers immediately took their weapons and began to expel the people in the mansion. For a time, the whole Qi family was crying.
"Please, Mrs. Qi, Miss Qi." Luo Shimin waved his hand politely.
Although Qi Surong lowered his head, his back was straight and every step he took was smooth.
Qi's mother was affected by it, and her chaotic emotions gradually calmed down.
"Wait a minute." Luo Shimin suddenly shouted to stop.
Qi Surong and her daughter stopped and looked at her together.
"What's in your baggage? I want to check it, general." Luo Shimin used the scabbard to move the baggage in Qi Surong's hand.
Mother Qi, who had always been gentle, could not help but feel a little angry at his rude behavior, but she dared not speak out.
"You guys, throw all your baggage on the ground." Luo Shimin ordered.
He pointed at the wet nurse and others holding Subao. Several people looked at each other and made no move.
Qi Surong was the first to throw down the baggage and said: "Since General Luo has an order, you should follow it."
"As expected of the eldest lady of the Qi family, she really knows the general situation." Luo Shimin smiled with unclear meaning. His eyes scanned Qi Surong a few times, and then called a few soldiers and asked them to check the bags on the ground one by one.
In addition to some clothes, there are also several banknotes and broken silver in the baggage.
The wet nurse and others looked strange. They didn't seem to put these banknotes and broken silver in when they were cleaning up.
"Haha." Luo Shimin took out the few banknotes and said with a smile, "The emperor has decreed that all the property of the Qi family must be confiscated. Do you think these banknotes are considered the property of the Qi family?"
"Of course!" the surrounding soldiers responded loudly.
"In this case, they will all be confiscated." He said it was confiscated, but he rewarded all the silver notes to the soldiers.
Manager Liu and others were so angry that their faces turned red.
"No, this is my private money, you can't take it away!" At this time, a high-pitched female voice came from not far away.
Everyone looked around and saw one of Qi's father's concubines fighting over something with a soldier. The soldier kicked it away and stuffed the stolen items into his arms.
The concubine lay on the ground crying.
"Hmph." Luo Shimin mocked, "You people in the Qi Mansion all like to line their own pockets. All the money and artifacts in this mansion belong to the Holy One. Anyone who dares to hide it privately will be severely punished! Come and check everyone's baggage. All All money was confiscated.”
Hearing this, Qi's mother became extremely angry and her breathing became rapid. Although she was not a lady, she came from a scholarly family. How had she ever been bullied like this
Qi Surong quickly hugged Qi's mother and helped her calm down: "It's okay, it's okay." Don't feel bad, mother, it will pass, it will pass.
Qi's mother burst into tears, shivering in Qi Surong's arms and trembling slightly.
"Mother, mother." Su Bao started crying when he saw Qi's mother looking like this.
The nanny tried to comfort her, but to no avail.
Qi Surong patted her mother's shoulder, walked over and took Subao into her mother's arms.
Su Bao hugged Qi's mother's neck tightly, and her small body gave her a lot of comfort, and their crying gradually subsided.
"General, all inspections have been completed. A total of two thousand three hundred and twenty taels have been found." A soldier reported.
"Only more than two thousand three hundred taels?" Luo Shimin touched his chin and glanced at Qi Surong and others with malicious intent.
"General Luo, do you still want to search me?" Qi Surong raised her head and looked at him.
"Why not?" Luo Shimin really had some thoughts about this talented woman who was famous far and wide. There was no chance before, but now that the Qi family has been ruined, it is not difficult to get hold of this girl.
Qi Surong naturally guessed the evil in his heart. In the last life, he was frivolous towards her in full view of the public, forcing her to almost commit suicide before giving up in anger.
This time, she would not give him another chance to insult her.
Qi Surong said: "General Luo, the butterfly embroidered Luo skirt Su Rong is wearing is worth forty-three taels, the peony embroidered shoes on her feet are worth twenty-seven taels, and the gold hairpin on her head is worth fifty-four taels. This gold-inlaid jade bracelet is worth about two thousand seven hundred taels."
Luo Shimin's expression moved slightly.
But I heard Qi Surong say again: "However, this bracelet is a gift from the Queen. I'm afraid the general won't dare to ask for it, little girl."
Luo Shimin really calmed down his expression.
"In addition, this guqin was made by people from Xianhe Mountain as a gift for Su Rong's tenth birthday. When she was thirteen, Su Rong used this qin to play a song "A Hundred Birds Pay Attendance to the Phoenix" for the Supreme Emperor, and she was honored to receive Because of the praise of the Supreme Emperor, he was given the name "Tianyin", and the piano was renamed Tianyin Qin. It is known throughout the world that Tianyin Qin belongs to Tianyin's daughter. If the general is not afraid of being criticized, he can also use it to enjoy. .”